Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals:
Friday April 10 2026
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1 John 1:7-But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Some teach that there is no forgiveness for sins after baptism. This has indeed been a reason why many in the religious world reject Christ and His plan of salvation. Indeed, several individuals that I have worked with over the years have expressed their hesitancy to repent and be baptized for fear that they will not be forgiven if they sin after obedience to the Gospel. It is here that a study of this passage in 1 John is so powerful and reassuring.
The Apostle wrote these words to those who were baptized and saved Christians. He refers to them as his little children (1 John 2:1, 12, 13, 18, 22, 28; 3:1, 2, 7, 10, 18; 4:4; 5:2, 21) and as brethren (1 John 2:7; 3:13, 14, 16). They have overcome Satan (1 John 2:13-14) and the world (1 John 4:4), having expressed an obedient faith in Christ and receiving the promise of eternal life (1 John 2:24; 5:13). There is even allusion to their baptism!
1 John 2:20-But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
The early Christians are unanimous that John’s recipients received this “anointing” at the time of their baptism:
“YOU HAVE BEEN ANOINTED. SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH: All have been anointed, not only the prophets and holy men who lived in their days but also and especially all those who later believed in the great and only true anointed one (Christ), our God and Savior, along with those who continue to believe in him. For in the divine washing of regeneration and baptism when we are symbolically anointed with myrrh, we receive his inheritance by the Holy Spirit and his rich gifts, by which we know that we are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. CATENA. 12 ANOINTED AT BAPTISM. ANDREAS: This is what each of us has received at baptism. CATENA. 13 SPIRITUAL ANOINTING. BEDE: The spiritual anointing is the Holy Spirit himself, who is given in the sacrament of anointing. John says that they all have this anointing and can distinguish good people from evil ones, so that he has no need to teach them what they already know because of their anointing. Because he is talking about heretics in this passage, he points out that they have received their anointing from the Holy One in order to underline the fact that the heretics and all antichrists are deprived of that gift and do not belong to the Lord but rather are servants of Satan. ON 1 JOHN. 14 YOU ALL KNOW. OECUMENIUS: They had all received the sacred anointing by their baptism and by the same Holy Spirit who led them into all truth. Because of this John was not writing to the ignorant but to people who knew what he was talking about. COMMENTARY ON 1 JOHN.” (Thomas C. Oden, Gerald Bray, Gerald L. Bray, James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude: Volume 11 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture) by Gerald Bray, Gerald L. Bray, 188 (Kindle Edition): Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press)
Thus, John is writing to Christians.
What’s more, the Apostle clearly acknowledges that there will be times when Christians will sin (1 John 1:7, 8, 9; 2:1-2). When children of God sin, we repent and confess those sins to the Lord (1 John 1:9). As we thereby walk in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ will “keep on cleansing” us from our sins (literal translation of 1 John 1:7). The early Christians also acknowledged these truths.
“We do not receive the rest that Jesus promises unless we are willing to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. The apostle John explains: “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1: 7-9). When we initially repent of our sins and are converted and baptized, all our past sins are cleansed by the blood of Christ. His blood continues to cleanse our sins if we walk in the light and if we confess our sins. Clement of Alexandria writes, “[ At baptism,] God forgives our past sins. However, as to future sins, each one procures this for himself as follows: He does this by repenting, by condemning his past deeds, and by begging the Father to blot them out. For only the Father is the One who is able to undo what has been done.” 1273”. (David Bercot, The Historic Faith Commentary Series – Matthew Vol 1 – Chapters 1 -13, 455 (Kindle Edition): Amberson, Pa: Scroll Publishing Company)
My friend, I urge you to seek the Lord’s salvation today.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.